Synergistic insecticidal compositions

ABSTRACT

Compounds comprised of 2-(4-tert-butylphenoxy) cyclohexy1 prop-2-ynyl sulfite and a synthetic pyrethroid exhibit synergistic pesticidal activity.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 08/199,233, filed Feb. 22,1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,168.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

This invention is directed to mixtures of propargite and syntheticpyrethroids, which exhibit synergistic activity as pesticides.

Thrips palmi is a transplanted insect from Southeast Asia which hascaused serious damage to cucumber, watermelon, melon, eggplant and greenpepper in recent years. It has no strong natural enemy, and is believedto cause more serious growth damage or fruit damage than any other knowninsect. Compounds such as sulbrophos, oxamil, carbosulphane,cypermethrin, pemfracalp, BMPC, DMTP, cyfulbenzron, etc. have been usedin the past. However, none of them has had a sufficient protectiveeffect.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The compositions of the present invention contain an active ingredientcomprising a mixture of A) propargite, and B) a synthetic pyrethroid.The present invention also comprises a method for controllingundesirable insects which comprises applying an effective amount of acomposition according to the present invention to a locus to beprotected.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The propargite portion of the active ingredient is a well knowninsecticide sold under the trademark OMITE (Uniroyal Chemical Company)and has the chemical name 2-(4-tert-butylphenoxy) cyclohexyl prop-2-ynylsulfite. Examples of the synthetic pyrethroid active ingredient arecyfluthrin, fenpropathrin, cyhalothrin, fulvalinate, tralomethrin,etofenprox, fulcytirinate, cypermethrin, permethrin, and fenvalelate.

In the insecticide compositions of the present invention, the propargitecomponent may be present in the amount of from 3 to 1,000 ppm, or morepreferably 100-400 ppm. The synthetic pyrethroide type component may bepresent in the amount of from 1 to 1,000 ppm, or more preferably 10-200ppm.

Propargite, which is one of the effective components of the insecticideoffered by the present invention, shows almost no effect againstminami-kiiro-azamiuma (also known as Thrips palmi) by itself. Inaddition, synthetic pyrethroide type insecticides, which is also one ofthe effective components of the insecticide compounds offered by thepresent invention, does not show sufficient effect againstminami-kiiro-azamiuma by itself even in the case of cypermethrin whichhas obtained the Agricultural Chemical Registration in Japan. Thecompositions offered by the present invention give superioreffectiveness which cannot be obtained by each component alone.

As it is described in the application example, common forms ofagricultural agents such as aqueous solutions, emulsions, dry-flowable,flowable, or smoke agent which contain the propargite and the syntheticpyrethroide type insecticides may be prepared. Alternaterely, agentswhich contain the individual active ingredients are prepared and thenmixed together later.

The present invention is explained in detail by reference to thefollowing examples.

    ______________________________________                                        Propargite           30 parts                                                 Tralomethrin          1 part                                                  White Carbon (Silica)                                                                               2 parts                                                 Diatmaceous Earth    58 parts                                                 Alkylbenzene sodium sulfonate                                                                       2 parts                                                 Lignin sodium sulfonate                                                                             7 parts                                                 ______________________________________                                    

    ______________________________________                                        Propargite               30 parts                                             Tralomethrin              1 part                                              Xylene                   44 parts                                             Dimethylformamide        15 parts                                             Alkylbenzene calcium sulfonate                                                                          4 parts                                             Polyoxyethylene-alkylphenylether                                                                        6 parts                                             ______________________________________                                    

The above components were mixed and melted to obtain a 31% emulsion.

Example 3

A mixed aqueous solution of propargite (BPPS) and synthetic pyrethroidtype insecticides was diluted to the concentrations shown in Table 1,and sprayed on individually potted 20-30 cm tall greenhouse growneggplants (kind: Kokuyo) which were severely infested byminami-kiiro-azamiuma by using a portable sprayer until the liquidstarted to drip from the leaves. The number of adult and larvae ofminami-kiiro-azamiuma were counted before the spraying and a few daysafter the spraying, and its effectiveness compared with theeffectiveness obtained by spraying them individually. The results areshown in Table 1.

                                      TABLE 1                                     __________________________________________________________________________                        Number of Insects/4 leaves.sup.1)                                     Concentration                                                                         0 DAT.sup.2)                                                                        4 DAT 7 DAT 11 DAT                                  Treatments.sup.3)                                                                         (ppm)   A. L..sup.4)                                                                        A. L. A. L. A. L.                                   __________________________________________________________________________    Control(No Treatment)                                                                     --      59  79                                                                              93 136                                                                              152                                                                              183                                                                              104                                                                              626                                  Propargite(Pro.)                                                                          400     48  80                                                                              130                                                                              76 176                                                                              212                                                                              106                                                                              546                                  Pro. + Tralomethrin                                                                       400 + 10                                                                              28 179                                                                               0  0  0  0  1  0                                   Tralomethrin                                                                               10     31 108                                                                              17 71 59 123                                                                              44 64                                   Pro. + Cypermethrin                                                                       400 + 60                                                                              80 138                                                                               0  0  0  0  6  0                                   Cypermethrin                                                                               60     17 169                                                                               7 31 16  57                                                                              49 46                                   Pro. + Cyhalothrin                                                                        400 + 25                                                                              42 160                                                                               0  0  0  0 12  0                                   Cyhalothrin  25     26 132                                                                              35 153                                                                              69 185                                                                              39 65                                   Pro. + Permethrin                                                                         400 + 100                                                                             25 188                                                                               6 12  9  16                                                                              10  4                                   Permethrin  100     42 138                                                                              19 118                                                                              32 183                                                                              41 51                                   Pro. + Fluvalinate                                                                        400 + 50                                                                              12 206                                                                              15 10  1  2 15  0                                   Fluvalinate  50     45  91                                                                              58 196                                                                              57 224                                                                              111                                                                              161                                  Pro + Fenpropathrin                                                                       400 + 100                                                                             27 259                                                                              11 15  2  9  6  4                                   Fenpropathrin                                                                             100     22  86                                                                              33 180                                                                              70 130                                                                              57 52                                   Pro. + Etofenprox                                                                         400 + 200                                                                             18  94                                                                               9  3  4  10                                                                               9 12                                   Etofenprox  200     33  70                                                                              56 71 62 244                                                                              77 131                                  __________________________________________________________________________     .sup.1) 2 marked leaves/pot                                                   .sup.2) DAT = Days after treatment                                            .sup.3) Sprayed on May 27, 1991                                               .sup.4) A. = Adults L. = Larvae                                          

                                      TABLE 2                                     __________________________________________________________________________                        Number of Insects/4 leaves.sup.1)                                     Concentration                                                                         0 DAT.sup.2)                                                                         4 DAT 7 DAT  11 DAT                                Treatments.sup.3)                                                                         (ppm)   A. L..sup.4)                                                                         A. L. A. L.  A. L.                                 __________________________________________________________________________    Control(No Treatment)                                                                     --      28 38  57 82 55 91  43 87                                 Propargite(Pro.)                                                                          400     28 38  19 37 15 46  33 72                                 Pro. + Tralomethrin                                                                       400 + 10                                                                              35 70   0  0  1  1   6  5                                 Tralomethrin                                                                               10     19 57  11 42 19 69  44 41                                 Pro. + Cypermethrin                                                                       400 + 60                                                                              60 102  0  0  3  4   2  1                                 Cypermethrin                                                                               60     16 24   9 36 29 28  55 20                                 Pro. + Cyhalothrin                                                                        400 + 100                                                                             34 62   0  0  0  1   2  0                                 Cyhalothrin 100     18 45  11 56 21 58  18 34                                 Pro. + Cyfluthrin                                                                         400 + 25                                                                              47 86   0  0  4  0   8  1                                 Cyfluthrin   25     27 97   8 28 35 104 45 17                                 Pro. + Fluvalinate                                                                        400 + 50                                                                              40 91   0  1  4  7   8  4                                 Fluvalinate  50     43 72  29 94 36 80  32 83                                 __________________________________________________________________________     .sup.1) 2 marked leaves/pot                                                   .sup.2) DAT = Days after treatment                                            .sup.3) Sprayed on May 27, 1991                                               .sup.4) A. = Adults L. = Larvae                                          

Example 4

The effect of propargite (BPPS) and synthetic pyrethroid mixtures onminami-kiiro-azaiuma was studied in a manner similar to Example 3,except that the emulsion form of Example 2 was used. The results areshown in Table 2.

What is claimed is:
 1. A composition useful for controlling Thrips palmicomprising synergistic insecticidally effective amounts of:(A)2-(4-tert-butylphenoxy) cyclohexyl prop-2-ynyl sulfite; and (B) asynthetic pyrethroid selected from the group consisting of cyfluthrin,cyhalothrin, and tralomethrin.
 2. The composition in accordance withclaim 1 wherein component (A) is present in an concentration from 3-1000ppm and component (B) is present in a concentration from 1-1000 ppm. 3.The composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein the syntheticpyrethroid is tralomethrin.
 4. The composition in accordance with claim1 wherein the synthetic pyrethroid is cyfluthrin.
 5. The composition inaccordance with claim 1 wherein the synthetic pyrethroid is cyhalothrin.6. A process for controlling Thrips palmi which comprises applying to alocus to be protected an effective amount of a composition comprisingsynergistic insecticidally effective amounts of:(A)2-(4-tert-butylphenoxy) cyclohexyl prop-2-ynyl sulfite; and (B) asynthetic pyrethroid selected from the group consisting of cyfluthrin,cyhalothrin, and tralomethrin.
 7. The process in accordance with claim 6wherein the synthetic pyrethroid is cyfluthrin.
 8. The process inaccordance with claim 6 wherein the synthetic pyrethroid is cyhalothrin.9. The process in accordance with claim 6, wherein the syntheticpyrethroid is tralomethrin.
 10. A process for controlling Thrips palmiwhich comprises applying to an infested locus an effective amount of acomposition comprising synergistic insecticidally effective amountsof:(A) 2-(4-tert-butylphenoxy) cyclohexyl prop-2-ynyl sulfite; and (B)fenpropathrin.